League News

Wrockwardine Wood and Bowring are the places to be tomorrow – Saturday 9th May – as the League hosts the 2026 Shropshire veterans inter-league championship. And 3 Mid Shropshire teams will try to keep hold of the over-60s title and the Derek Wright Shield that goes with it. But missing is last year’s winning A team captain Ian Evans (pictured about to …

The League will host the 2026 Shropshire veterans inter-league championship on Saturday 9th May. And here's the finalised plan as we look to keep hold of the Derek Wright Shield. We have a very good record in this competition and PICTURED is our 2023 winning squad. MID SHROPSHIRE TEAMS (after players agreed to play) MSBL A – captain Peter Spragg, Roy Bradburn, …

What an incredible response to this year's Senior Merit – generously sponsored by the company above – a stunning 115 entries! Thanks to all bowlers who have got their names in and thanks too to League comps guru Rob Burroughs for pushing for the rule changes and then promoting it so well. The change means any player who had played 3 Premier …

It's not too late to book a place on this on Wednesday 29th May at Bowring, 7pm start, with the chief of British refereeing. Louise Cotton would love to take your call or message!

Learn all about the rules of the sport and improve your game! Come and listen to and ask questions of the chief of the British Referees Society. You just need to book your place at Bowring BC on Wednesday 29th April from 7pm . . .

Monday’s are already a go and tomorrow – Friday 17thApril – the action starts in the main Friday divisions. Reigning champions Sinclair, fresh from winning their first ever division one title, have already beaten 2 Premier League cubs this season in the Mayhew Trophy and look hot favourites to remain Mid Shropshire top dogs. Armed with new signings Ayden Smith, John Roberts …

FIXTURE SECRETARY JOHN PALMER'S REPORT TO THIS WEEK'S APRIL EXECUTIVE MEETING – please note registrations cut off date of THIS IS TOMORROW . . . Good evening everybody. Quite a lot has happened since the March meeting. Sadly, as I’m sure you’re all aware, Hadley United Services Club has folded losing us a team from division 1 but their division 5 team …

The action may have started in two divisions but tonight – Tuesday 7th April – is effectively the League's seasonal launch meeting. And BCGBA Handbooks, scorecards and captains' books ordered should be collected at this meeting – which is open to all club officials and team captains, especially new ones for the 2026 campaign. Notice for the April 2026 Executive Committee Meeting …

The first League honour of the 2026 season has already been won – and now the first fixtures of the season are just 2 sleeps away! Action starts in the popular Afternoon Division on Thursday 2nd April with reigning champions Donnington Wood at home to Bowring A as 11 teams set out in pursuit of the 6-a-side title. Then in the evening …

The opening League fixtures of 2026 are still a week away, but the first Mid Shropshire title goes on the line tonight – Thursday 26th March. It’s the Thursday Night Merit with eight qualifiers, including husband and wife Stuart and Jackie Rutter, heading to St Georges to contest the finals on the club's bottom green from 7pm. Neither of the past winners …

As most of you will probably have seen by now, the 2026 MSBL fixtures went LIVE this morning. Grateful thanks go to John Palmer who has to deal with a number of issues, including the withdrawals of Worfield and Highley and then the end of bowling and folding of Hadley USC and the formation of a new club – Hadley BC – …

Hadley United Services Bowling Club have had to fold as a club but are reforming as Hadley Bowling Club and playing at Charlton Bowling Club. Hadley secretary Rob Burroughs emailed the league to say “I am writing to inform you that Hadley USBC has now folded with immediate effect due to no one to cut the green and lack of support financially and morally …

Please find a summary of the March Executive Meeting on Tuesday: New Chairman Chris Hayward took the meeting for the first time. The Friday Divisions are currently 13-12-12 but this may change due to one or two teams possibly withdrawing. Bowring C and Sir John Bayley C have entered new teams but Worfield have withdrawn and Horsehay A re-entering after relegation from …

The League is to lose 2 long-serving clubs for the 2026 season. Delegates at the March executive meeting on Tuesday the 3rd will hear that Worfield have pulled out of Friday division 3 while fellow south Shropshire side Highley have quit the Monday divisions, both citing lack of enough players to continue. But the good news to be confirmed at the key …

There’s just 1 week to go for clubs to apply to field new teams or withdraw them from any of the divisions run by the League. The deadline to let fixture secretary John Palmer know (copying in general secretary Malcolm Fletcher please!) is 48 hours before the March executive meeting – which is on Tuesday the 3rd at SJBC (7.30pm). So that …

Please find some of the Individual Competition dates for the 2026 season, with most of these now confirmed. The Thursday Night Merit could move if there are less than 12 or more than 14 teams in the league as the league would have spare Thursdays to use for the Merit. If there are 13 or 14 teams then the dates below will …

The League’s clubs have been urged not to miss a ‘Big’ chance to help grow the sport this coming summer – by signing up to an expanded Big Bowls promotion.   “The 2026 Commonwealth Games will see bowls take centre stage at one of the biggest sporting events of the summer – giving our sport a real golden opportunity to grow,” said a spokesperson …

GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT TO THE 2026 AGM I am not going to pretend that 2025 was the easiest of seasons. It was dogged by several niggling behaviour issues which we are determined to get a grip on this year – starting with a special pre-season meeting to ram home our Code of Conduct and rules to all clubs and especially their team …

FIXTURE SECRETARY JOHN PALMER'S REPORT TO THE 2026 AGM As far as I was concerned, 2025 all went pretty well with much better weather than the previous year. Hardly any matches were rained off. Congratulations to all the clubs that did well and commiserations to those not so fortunate (including first time champions Sinclair seen celebrating at the League's annual dinner in …

It’s been another successful season of competitions for the league, with four new competitions being all successful and hopefully these can be built on for this coming season. The Under 25 Merit proved to be another difficult year, with the competition having to be moved back a week due to lack of entries. It took place at Maddocks with 6 entries and …